what started out early this afternoon as a highly inspired blogpost, has turned into a humbling experience since three minutes ago i pressed return and everything i had written VANISHED! my few free moments to share with you before my trip to oaxaca next monday, gone with a single click.

i will try to remember a three line poem i had written and summarize what little i can remember of the rest and summarily include a few photos as i get over the blood boiling in my veins and my anger at blogger for allowing that after i carefully saved over and over again.

a new leaf,

the good earth's

green heartbeat

what i was so happy to share and had written out so eloquently before is that i woke up to 

new sprouting leaves on the first plant i ever bought when i moved back to california in 1999, a plant that has

moved with me numerous times, always a survivor, a fighter, a symbol of every change in my life.  

and then i stepped out into the garden and the cecile brunner climbing rose had but one tiny pink rose on it, the first since we moved three weeks ago. 

what i was so happy to share and had written out so eloquently before is that i woke up to

new sprouting leaves on the first plant i ever bought when i moved back to california in 1999, a plant that has

and my first thought was to share it with my soul sister chichi.  she will understand.

and to share with you my birthday gift: a stunning painting by jeanne-marie.

i need to make a run to have some of my paintings framed, paintings i've been storing until the big move; one by jenny wentworth, another by rick beerhorst and several by cathy cullis as pictured above the mirror which will go over the mantle.

progress continues on the house in giant leaps since i want to leave for the trip having left it as comfortable as possible for richard.  

 this is the corner we come to relax and where we have been ardently glued to on sunday eves
watching season 4 of downton abbey.

 and this is where i tiptoe off to when a cup of coffee is in much need or to cook on these cold cold nights we have been having. no rain yet though but for a few minutes of droplets yesterday.

it has been hard adjusting to an electric stove.  so far so good other than higher temperatures needed but if further down the road we can switch back to gas, i would be more than obliged.

 i did it, re wrote just about every word.

 and there it is again.....the tiny leaf that started the day.

upstairs, downstairs, a world made in english

and back to english it is today because today is a historical "englishness" day on public broadcasting.


upstairs downstairs is BACK!  my favorite tv series of all time together with brideshead revisited is going a second round and jean marsh is in it again.  jean, as you may recall, was the originator of the original series back in the 70's (which i incidentally own, all of it from start to finish, one of the most expensive gifts i've ever given myself and well worth it). i'm ecstatic!
"Upstairs Downstairs," several decades later remains the most famous and fondly remembered series in the history of PBS' prestigious "Masterpiece Theatre."
The late Alistair Cooke, host of Masterpiece Theatre, remarked at the time Upstairs Downstairs ran it's last episode that May 1, 1977, should be declared a national day of mourning.

In that spirit, then, perhaps today should be declared a national day of rejoicing — because almost 34 years later, "Upstairs Downstairs" has returned.

if you're a fan, (and you should be) i'd love to hear what your favorite characters were, favorite chapters, scenes, clothing, customs, anything. 
my favorite characters were Mrs. Bridges, the cook and Rose and Sarah ofcourse and Thomas, well you get the idea.  i devoured the wholeness of it.